WWE NXT Live Coverage - September 9th, 2025

[Kemo]

DarkState defend the NXT Tag Team Title against Hank & Tank

The NXT Tag Team Title will be on the line when Hank Walker and Tank Ledger challenge DarkState in a highly anticipated rematch. Osiris Griffin and Dion Lennox dethroned Hank & Tank at Heatwave, irking "The Big Belly Boys" and making them determined to win back the gold. Can DarkState stave off the former champions and keep dominating NXT?

– Vic Joseph and Booker T greet audiences at home. Je'Von Evans and Josh Briggs waste no time getting to the ring and brawling with one another, with Evans landing a springboard moonsault on Briggs off the middle rope and on the outside.

Je'Von Evans vs. Josh Briggs

The bell rings and Evans lands a kick on Briggs. He follows it up with a Frog Splash off the top rope and goes for a pin, but Briggs kicks out. Briggs beats down Evans, but Evans connects with a hurricanrana on Briggs. He follows it up with a dropkick to him that sends him crashing into the middle rope, but Briggs levels Evans as he flies through the middle rope and sends his face bouncing off the announce desk. He looks to chokeslam him through the announce desk, but Evans lands on top of it and delivers a tope suicida that sends Briggs crashing over top of it.

During the commercial break, Briggs whips Evans into the corner spine first and wears him down with a rear chokehold. Evans powers up to his feet back from the break, then lands a Superman Punch on Briggs and follows it up with an open palm strike. He looks to fly off the ropes, but Briggs intercepts him and sends him crashing into the bottom. He rains down right hands on Evans, but Evans catches Briggs with a second Superman Punch and a crossbody off the top rope.

Evans sets up for a springboard OG Cutter, but Briggs intercepts him. Evans escapes and connects with a Stunner on Briggs, but Briggs slides a chair into the ring. As the referee disposes of the chair, Evans sets up for an OG Cutter on Briggs off the top rope. Briggs wraps his chain on his neck around his fist and catches Evans with a right hand, then pins him for the win.

Winner: Josh Briggs

– Ava is backstage with Ricky Saints and Oba Femi. Femi and Saints argue about what happened last week. Ava says next week, Femi and Saints will be on The Grayson Waller Effect and they can air their grievances then. Trick Williams comes in and asks if everything is set for him to confront DIY. Williams tells Femi that they're not finished yet and heads out.

– We see DIY (Tommaso Ciampa & Johnny Gargano) walking backstage, after commercial they'll be in the ring to let us know what's on their minds.

– #DIY then makes their way to the ring.

Tommaso Ciampa says tonight is extra special because it marks exactly ten years since himself and Johnny Gargano started teaming up in "NXT". He says he knew his last match in "NXT" wouldn't be his last on the brand and addresses Trick Williams.

Williams' music hits, and he makes his way out. He says Ciampa and Gargano got the best of him last week because it was two on one, then says Ciampa and Gargano are jealous that their "NXT" crew can't hang with him. Gargano invites Williams to get in the ring with himself and Ciampa again but not alone this time.

Carmelo Hayes' music hits, and he makes his way out. He stares down Ciampa and Gargano, then says he heard Williams say last week that "NXT" was his house. He says he said that to Gargano and Ciampa, who built the house while he renovated it. He tells Williams that rent is due, but Williams tells Hayes that he gets why he's upset. He admits to talking trash about Hayes and says it wasn't right, but Ciampa cuts off Williams to egg on the dissension between Williams and Hayes.

Hayes tells Ciampa to quiet down since his tensions with Wiliams don't involve him or Gargano, then reminds Ciampa and Gargano of their own history with one another. Ciampa then challenges Hayes and Williams to a tag team match on behalf on himself and Gargano.

– Lainey Reid and Faby Apache then both make their way to the ring as Natalya is in the crowd to watch the action.

First Round Match For The WWE Speed Women's Championship Number One Contenders Tournament: Lainey Reid vs. Faby Apache

The bell rings as the three minute timer begins, and Apache lands a dropkick on Reid. She follows it up with a cannonball on her off the apron onto the outside, then rocks her with a kick to her head and dumps her back in the ring. The clock hits two minutes as Apache rolls up Reid, but Reid kicks out. Apache delivers a hair whip to her and charges at her in the corner, but Reid moves out of the way. Apache levels Reid with a kick as the clock approaches one minute, then levels her with a German suplex and ascends up the top ropes. Natalya hops the barricade to distract Apache, opening the door for Reid to duck out of the way when Apache flies and Reid to catch Apache with a running knee strike to her for the win.

Winner: Lainey Reid

– Sol Ruca and Zaria are backstage. Zaria asks Sol Ruca what she'll do if she wins the tag titles and has to add another title and then tells Ruca she needs to win because she wants to be a champ too. Hank & Tank come by and the teams both wish the other well for their tag title matches.

– A video package featuring Blake Monroe plays. She tells Jordynne Grace that Grace has ruined everything and talks about being busted open last week. She says the Glamour and Evil go hand in hand and that she wasn't humbled or broken but she's been awakened.

– DarkState then make their way to the ring. Hank Walker and Tank Ledger follow.

NXT Tag Team Championship Match: DarkState (w/ Saquon Shugars) vs. Hank Walker

The bell rings and Walker and Ledger double team on Osiris Griffin. Walker runs over Dion Lennox with a kick to the side of his face, but Lennox then tags in. Lennox and Griffin send Walker crashing into the mat with a double powerbomb, then begin brawling with him and Ledger. Ledger clotheslines Griffin out of the ring to join Lennox, then flies through the middle rope as Walker does the same to level Lennox and Griffin.

During the commercial break, Lennox is dumped back in the ring. Ledger tags in and flies off the middle rope to land a double ax handle on Lennox as Walker holds him in place. Walker then tags back in and delivers a double ax handle of his own to Lennox as Ledger holds him in place. Ledger then tags back in once again and lands a splash on Lennox in the corner before going for a pin. Lennox kicks out.

Griffin tags back in and fires off stomps on Ledger, then lands a double chokeslam on Ledger with Lennox. Walker tags in and sends Lennox crashing into the mat with a bodyslam, then connects with a standing splash on Lennox. He follows it up with a spinning slam.

Cutler James accidentally says Joe Hendry's name, and he bursts through a part of the stage. He chases James around the ring, opening the door for Walker to roll up Lennox. Griffin sends Walker crashing into the mat and Lennox manages to reverse the fall for the win.

Winners and STILL NXT Tag Team Champions: DarkState

– We see hidden camera footage of Ethan Page talking to Myles Borne and tells him to do something different or he'll always lose. Lexis King is in the locker room trashing Borne to Charlie Demspey. Borne comes in and beats up King.

– Tavion Heights then makes his way to the ring. Ethan Page follows.

Flag Match: Ethan Page vs. Tavion Heights

Page goes straight for the Canadian flag, but Heights stops him. The bell sounds, and Page looks to grab the Canadian flag. Heights pulls him off the ropes, but Heights levels Page and looks to grab the American flag. Page looks to pull Heights off the top rope, but Heights holds into the pole holding up the American flag. Page still manages to pull Heights off the top, then sets up for Ego's Edge.

Heights escapes and lands on the middle rope, then ascends to the top looking to grab the American flag. Page pulls Heights off the top rope with a hair whip, but Heights ascends up the middle rope. Page dumps Heights out of the ring and sends him crashing into the ring steps, then gets back in the ring and looks to retrieve the Canadian flag. Heights meets Page on the ropes and sends him crashing into the top turnbuckle groin first, but Page ascends back up to the top rope. Heights lands a belly-to-belly suplex on Page off the middle rope, then ascends to the top rope and grabs the American flag, waiving it high on the top rope for the win.

Winner: Tavion Heights

– After the match, Heights also grabs the Canadian Flag and lays it on Ethan Page. Tyler Breeze comes out as Heights is waving the US flag. Breeze takes selfies with a fallen Page.

– We get a video package for Lola Vice and we see her go back to her roots and she talks about being underestimated.

– Fatal Influence watch the above video package. Jacy Jayne asks Fallon Henley and Jazmyn Nyx if they're ready. Fatal Influence is excited to have all the gold.

WWE Women's Tag Team Championship No. 1 Contender's Elimination Match: The Culling & Shawn Spears vs. Zaruca vs. Fatal Influence

Tatum Palxey, Zaria, and Jazmyn Nyx tag in. The bell rings and Paxley and Nyx join forces to send Zaria crashing out of the ring. Paxley rolls up Nyx, but Nyx kicks out. Zaria takes down Nyx and Paxley, then drags Nyx up the ropes. Izzi Dame and Fallon Henley tag in, and Henley levels Dame with a hurricanrana. She goes for a pin, but Henley kicks out.

Zaria and Dame fire off forearms on one another, but Dame levels Zaria with a boot. Ruca, Nyx, and Paxley then all tag in and levels Nyx and Paxley with kicks to them. Henley pulls Ruca out of the ring, and Dame runs over Henley on the outside after Spears distracts her. Ruca then flies off the top rope with a Corkscrew Shooting Star Press to level Paxley, Dame, and Vance on the outside.

During the commercial break, Nyx wears down Ruca in the ring and tags Henley back in. Henley follows suit and tags in Nyx. Dame, Henley, and Ruca all exchange forearms with one another before Nyx and Jayne send Dame crashing into the ring steps on the outside. Nyx then tags back in and sends Ruca crashing on top of Dame with a double flapjack alongside Henley.

Nyx delivers a German suplex to Ruca, but Dame and Ruca land a Blockbuster on Nyx using the top rope. Zaria tags in and lands a spinning back suplex on Nyx, then sends Paxley crashing into the mat. Ruca looks to land the Sol Snatcher on Paxley, but Paxley moves out of the way and accidentally hits Zaria when Nyx and Henley send her crashing into Ruca. Zaria is then pinned by Nyx to eliminate herself and Ruca.

Eliminated: Zaria and Sol Ruca

Henley tags back in, but Paxley sends Henley crashing into the mat. Dame tags back in, then lands a boot on Henley as Paxley sends her crashing into the mat. Dame then delivers a sit-out powerbomb to Henley to pin her for the win.

Eliminated: Fatal Influence

Winners and NEW Number One Contenders: The Culling

– After the match, Jayne grabs a microphone and berates Henley and Nyx for embarrassing her by losing. Three cars pull up outside the Performance Center as Jayne says she's not in NXT to be anyone's babysitter. She says she's sick and tired of carrying Fatal Influence on her back, then says she got to where she is without the support, applause, or respect of the fans. She says the only person she ever needed was herself.

Stephanie Vaquer's music hits, and she makes her way out. She credits Jayne for beating her for the NXT Women's Championship, but reminds Jayne she was also a double champion like she recently was. She says she will become the new Women's World Champion at WWE Wrestlepalooza, but Jayne tells Vaquer that there's three members of Fatal Influence and just one of her. Vaquer then asks Jayne what time it is.

Tiffany Stratton's music hits, and she makes her way out. She asks NXT what time it is, then says it feels good to be home. She tells Jayne that she's the reigning WWE Women's Champion, then says she's also been NXT Women's Champion meaning that Jayne is therefore not the greatest titleholder.

Jayne says Stratton and Vaquer are the seniors who graduated that came back, but Stratton says that Mami won't like hearing that. Rhea Ripley's music then hits, and she makes her way out. She points out that there's three of them now to take on Fatal Influence, then challenges Fatal Influence to a Six Woman Tag Team Match next week on behalf of herself, Stratton, and Vaquer. After sending Fatal Influence crashing to the outside, Ripley, Stratton, and Vaquer stand tall in the ring as the show goes off the air.

[Kemo]